


Prelude 4: A Conversation Long Overdue

by C_Aureus



Series: Promises [5]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Closure, Confessions, Cynicism, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Light Sadism, Regret, Revenge, Tragedy, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:50:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26620168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_Aureus/pseuds/C_Aureus
Summary: As Link prepares himself for his final assault on Hyrule Castle, and encounter with Calamity Ganon, he realises that he must first get all of his affairs in order.Which means revisiting Vah Ruta.
Relationships: Link & Prince Sidon, Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Promises [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894438
Comments: 33
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again!
> 
> Well, here's the final of four preludes I have written so far.
> 
> Hmm.
> 
> Small note: This story takes place before the ending of BotW and before Preludes 2 and 3. It takes place after _Brothers_. However, it does reference events referenced in _Hollow_.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

### Chapter 1

### 

It wasn't long to go, now.

That was what Link kept telling himself, continuously, over and over, until it dominated almost his every waking moment. Long had he put this off, always citing the ever dwindling number of Shrines he had yet to complete, amongst other things, in an attempt to distract himself from his inexorable appointment with destiny, in the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. 

But now... that excuse had finally run its course; there were no more Shrines left to complete, no more Trials to undertake. All that was left was for him to conclude his business, then await the moment when he gathered his courage and confronted the Scourge of Hyrule in one final, climactic, encounter. One fated to shape the destiny of not only all of Hyrule, but everyone and everything still alive in it.

But, although that day would come, and it would come very soon, it would not come tonight.

Link spent a lot of time in Lanayru. It wasn't hard to imagine why: Between the knowledge that he spent a great deal of his youth in the region, as well as the many Zora who remembered him, as he was, one hundred years ago, he'd begun to attribute a fond nostalgia for it, even despite the craggy highlands and oft miserable weather, in spite of the haze of his irrecoverable lost memories blanketing everything in infuriating obscurity. He took that feeling and held it close to his heart. To one who had had nothing, such emotions and the things associated with them were to be cherished, he'd learnt.

He'd somewhat accepted by now that he would never fully recover that which he had lost in his slumber. He supposed that he should be thankful he was able to remember as much as he had, although the realisation had been accompanied by the all-too-familiar spike of rage, directed at Ganon. But, it had also been... _relieving_ in some way. Freeing, perhaps.

On the topic of Lanayru's precipitous areas, Link had found himself approaching the Zodobon Highlands. Ordinarily, there was not much distinguishing the area around Ruto Mountain, it being utterly unremarkable when placed next to the many, many other mountainous regions of Hyrule.

That would have continued to be the case, had the Divine Beast Vah Ruta not situated itself atop one such peak, overlooking Central Hyrule Field, with the castle locked as the target of its most devastating weapon.

Link sighed.

Truly, Ruta was a most awe-inspiring, formidable sight, now freed of Ganon's taint: Towering above the hills and fields below, ready to deliver Divine retribution and fury to the entity that had wounded Hyrule so grievously; a beacon, a veritable _bastion,_ of the resilience of the people of Hyrule, of their unanimous decision to look the Calamity in the eye, and tell it to fuck right off back to whatever hell it crawled out of.

Link appreciated all of those things immensely.

Unfortunately, it was the _other_ thing that Ruta signified, that left him feeling rather morose.

...That, Link lamented, was what his dear brother Sidon would refer to as an 'egregious euphemism'.

In Link's own words, it was a 'rather fucking large understatement'.

Ruta signified his greatest regrets, and his greatest failure. It would not be exaggerating to say that the mere sight of the Great Elephant left him cripplingly depressed. Whilst these same feelings were reflected whenever he looked upon any of the Divine Beasts that surrounded Central Hyrule, they were by far the most acute with Ruta.

Because of what, or rather _who,_ was piloting it.

Link had respected all of the Champions. Yes, even Revali, with his constant needling, his pompous, supercilious attitude, and abrasive demeanour. But none of them, not even Daruk, whom he had sworn as kin, were as close to his heart as the Zora Champion.

The other Champions' demises had brought about a soul-crushing grief, the likes of which still weighed upon his heart whenever he thought of them, of happier moments, of times untouched by the Calamity's all-corrupting presence. But _Mipha..._

When he had first remembered Mipha, _truly_ remembered her... and when it had finally sunken in that she was dead, had died in a most horrific and unjust manner, and had suffered for more than one hundred years, trapped and ceaselessly mocked and tormented by the very same entity that had killed her...

The only way Link could describe the feeling, even now, having had a few months to process it, was that of an _all-encompassing fury._ And when that had _eventually_ finished running its course, it was invariably followed by a dreaded feeling of utter wretchedness, and emptiness.

The depths of Link's anger at Mipha's death had eclipsed even the deepest ocean trench. More bitter than the Tabantha Tundra in midwinter, more relentless than the indefatigable Gerudo sandstorms, more explosive than Death Mountain's most violent eruptions...

When he had unleashed all of his grief, his pain, his _loss_ onto the unsuspecting Waterblight, well...

Link huffed a snort through his nose. Before he was done, he'd managed to repay it for _every iota_ of pain it had inflicted on Mipha's body, and his own heart. If it were anything other than the incarnation of Malice and Evil, he would have felt sorry for it. 

But it wasn't.

He'd intended to teach Ganon by demonstration the pain that he and others had been subjected to by it's foul hand.

And if the looks of sheer _terror_ and _agony_ that had pervaded his gaze, when he finally, _finally_ granted Waterblight, and the others, the sweet mercy of oblivion was any indication...

_He had succeeded._

And he found that he did not regret that. Not for an instant.

In fact, he _relished_ in it.

And, victory had been even sweeter the second time, in the 'Realm of Memories'. Being able to slowly, methodically, tear each Blight apart, to hear the sweet song of their distorted wails, to witness the enchanting dance of their most agonised flailing, once again had been nothing short of _euphoric._

To repay them for their treatment of the Champions, Link was prepared to go to any length, undertake any measure, to inform them of how foolish of a decision that had been. To make them regret their very existence, let alone their heinous actions. To exact the toll of their transgressions from the Malice that substituted for their flesh.

None of the Champions had disclosed to him exactly _how_ they had died. Perhaps that was for the best, lest the knowledge plague every one of his distressingly common nightmares; playing out repeatedly in front of his helpless, hapless sight and torturing him endlessly. However, it was not difficult to infer that Ganon had not treated them with dignity, mercy, nor respect.

So, Link was all too happy to repay Ganon in kind.

However, for all of the brutality and viciousness Link had displayed when battling the Blights, for how satisfying, how gratifying it was to avenge his comrades, his _friends..._

~~His _love._~~

Despite how utterly unapologetic he was for his actions, there was one problem, one great flaw with his blackened vengeance:

_It didn't bring them back._

The knowledge that it was all so futile; too little and too late to help the Champions, that they were dead, and would remain that way, ate away at his soul like a cancerous growth, until his chest felt like it enclosed a yawning chasm of emptiness where his heart was supposed to reside.

The Champions gifting their signature Abilities to him went some way to alleviating the aching void their absence left, however a mere apparition of them, and a shallow, painful reminder of the wonderful, brave, glorious people that he had _failed_ so spectacularly, could not come close to making up for their loss.

Whenever Link invoked any of their abilities, he would notice the corresponding Champion's presence, if only so very briefly. Whilst their appearances brought about pain, they were always, _always_ welcome. The show of support, of solidarity, in the face of his monumental task was perhaps more beneficial to Link than the abilities themselves. Yet, although he was beyond thankful of their presences at his side, following in his arduous footsteps and freely offering their full support even from beyond the grave, this arrangement came with its own notable problem:

Namely that the length of time a Champion could stay at his side was so very short. Far too short for anything beyond a quick wink, or grunt of exertion.

Mipha's Grace was, of course, the exception. Indeed, whilst her magic was patching him up, Mipha had enough time to speak several sentences. Depending, of course, on how much work her magic needed to do. On how extensively Link had been damaged.

Unfortunately, there were still two issues; that even this extended duration was still far too short to exchange any substantial amount of dialogue, and, more crucially, that Link, in those moments, did not possess the lucidity to appreciate her words. Unsurprising, given that she was rescuing him from the literal brink of death.

Therefore, if Link wanted to engage in any kind of conversation with the Champions' spirits, he would be forced to return to a location where their souls had a more substantial tie to the physical plane.

Specifically, he had to return to the site of their deaths: The Divine Beasts.

Which is the reason that Link was, rather apprehensively, approaching the colossal columns of Vah Ruta's forelegs. He wanted, no, he _needed_ to speak with Mipha.

Sadly, he had no way to initiate the encounter. Mipha could evade him for as long as she so wished, and there would be nothing he could do to prevent her from doing so.

This was a significant issue, seeing as Link and Mipha were not currently on the best of speaking terms. It really should have come as no surprise to Link that his abuse, his misuse, of what Mipha had intended to be her most precious gift to him would have upset her. That his masochistic self-flagellation, deliberately bringing himself to the edge of death by his own hand, if only to activate her miraculous, healing magic in a twisted attempt to mitigate her loss, had transgressed against the sacred, precious reason she had gifted it to him in the first place.

But, it _had_ come as a great, and unwelcome, surprise to him. But even then, seeing the devastated form of one he knew he loved, suffering from the consequences of his actions... it hadn't deterred him from doing it again.

And again.

And again. If only to gaze upon her beautiful visage for one more cherished, fleeting moment.

Until he was now stuck in a perpetual cycle of killing himself, becoming psychologically dependent on the feeling of her cool, soothing magic knitting his frayed flesh back together, until he felt as if he _needed_ the revitalisation her Grace bestowed upon him to perform a task even as simple as rising from his bed. 

Therefore, it did not come as any shock to him that Mipha did not immediately greet him upon his arrival. But, that was fine. He had brought many supplies, and he had come prepared to camp. He methodically began arranging sticks for a campfire; out of habit, more than anything else. It was still too bright and warm to consider lighting a fire, but preparing it now would save him fumbling around in the dark, later on.

Once the circle of sticks was complete, he rose slowly to his feet. He cast a pensive glance towards the soaring spire of Hyrule Castle, and the foul miasma that constantly surrounded it, before turning to address his elusive audience.

''Mipha... I know you can hear me.'' He began. Doubt and anxiety started to seep into his words, ashamed as he was for the hurt he was distantly aware he had caused her. He tried to quash the dread he anticipated at the possibility that Mipha could, and _would,_ completely blank him, making this whole trip pointless. Not that that would be a massive inconvenience, thanks to the Slate, but it would hurt his already fragile feelings further.

Mipha had been renowned for her patience and empathy. He prayed that she would utilise her famed clemency and indulge him, despite the distress he had caused her.

''I would speak to you.'' He tried again. Formality was his fall back. Somewhere, somehow in the back of his mind, he knew that at one point, such formality would have been second nature to him, in dealing with the King and courtiers of Hyrule, during his time as a Royal Guard, and then later as Princess Zelda's personal guard. He also knew that Mipha, a Princess herself, would have been raised to appreciate and abide by such decorum.

However, ever since his amnesia, it seemed to just sit wrong on his tongue. The memories of verbally prostrating himself seemed slightly disjointed, out of focus even. Yet, he hoped that his respectful and apologetic tone would convince Mipha to grant him the audience he so desperately needed, despite his upsetting recent actions.

He wasn't surprised, exactly, when his only response was the unyielding silence of Vah Ruta, deafening in its intensity, the stonework almost glaring down on him. Perhaps it actually _was_ glaring at him. Mipha had been highly insistent on Ruta possessing a personality of her own, after all.

''It is a matter of the highest import.'' Link tried again, extending a figurative hand to the one he wished so desperately to engage with.  
''And I am prepared to wait.'' He concluded. He had the feeling that Mipha was going to test his resolve on that point. But Link could live with that. He would wait for as long as she would demand of him in order to talk with her once more, such was his determination, his _desperation._

'' _Please._ '' His nerves betrayed him, transforming a formal request into a desperate, pathetic plea.

' _Please don't turn me away._ ' That, he realised, would be all it would take to truly shatter him beyond repair.

When no answer was forthcoming, Link sighed, then sat back down at his still-unlit campfire, and prepared himself for the long-haul.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night had fallen on Hyrule once again, as it tended to do.

Link hadn't moved from where he had seated himself. He was used to spending long periods of time sitting, staring into the entrancing flickers of a campfire, until the flames burned their after-image into his retinas. He found it strangely therapeutic, oddly relaxing, to watch the cinders curl and flicker, turning all their mesmerising touch reached into charcoal and ash.

Was he finding beauty in the destruction, or did he find the destruction itself beautiful? The query flitted across his mind ever so subtly, like the smoke drifting lazily upwards from the combusting sticks.

Link shook his head sharply, with a derisive sniff. What the hell did he care? He was no philosopher. He had his purpose, and his purpose was destruction. He had no reason to concern himself with his metaphysical interpretations of the nature of chaos and entropy.

Although, it was so strange, he thought. How fire could represent warmth and safety; a guiding light and a talisman to ward off the darkness, and all the sinister monsters that lurked there, and yet, by its very nature, it was destructive, deadly, and so very, very dangerous. 

He supposed he could relate to that.

Finally tearing his eyes away from the hypnotic embers, and blinking fiercely to banish the glare from his eyes, he cast a look northwards.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the relative darkness of the night, but when they did, Link was greeted with a most memorable and welcomed sight.

Nestled in the valley of several surrounding mountains proudly stood Zora's Domain, in all of its aquatic glory. 

Due to the luminous stone the Domain had been sculpted from, during the day, the palace positively _sparkled._ The walls would reflect the sunlight and scatter it, letting the stonework gleam in a way that Link found reminiscent of the gems and jewellery that the Gerudo often adorned themselves with.

But, at _night..._

True to its name, the luminous stone emitted an almost eerie glow, re-releasing the light that had fallen upon it during the day in a slow, methodical manner. The resultant effect was that the entire structure; the Palace, the Plaza, and the sculpture of the fish atop it, were all illuminated, twinkling like one of the stars in the sky. Just as immutable, and just as indomitable.

The Zora were widely known to be venerable, being able to trace their roots back to before even the birth of Hyrule itself. Compounded with their extended life-spans, and sometimes sedentary nature, it only made sense that their home, their heritage, was just as enduring as they were. Undeterred by time, by famine, by war, and even by Calamity.

The thought filled Link with no small amount of pride.

Although he was not one of them, he had essentially grown up there, grown up _with_ them. Zora's Domain was the closest thing to a home Link had ever known. Yes, he possessed a house, in Hateno Village, and it was comfortable, and cosy, and _his,_ but...

The Domain was, and always would be, his home. And its residents, his family. 

It truly made a magnificent sight, he reflected.

Perhaps that was why Mipha had situated Ruta here, on this particular hilltop; not only did it provide a clear line of sight to the Castle, but she could also watch over her home, and her family. Remind herself who and what she had fought for, had _died_ for, and would continue to protect even beyond death.

He hoped she at least drew some comfort from that knowledge; they were still safe. And now, she could do her part to ensure that they remained that way.

Link allowed his mind to wander, scanning the structure for a glimpse of red, or a long tail-fin. He knew he was too far away for his eyes to resolve any details that fine, but the mere task at least served to pass the time, and distract him from the encroaching chill that his small campfire was so valiantly repelling. Before long, the monotony of it had coaxed him into an inattentive drowsiness, as he struggled to stifle a yawn.

_''… You said that you would speak to me?''_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are always welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's Chapter 2.
> 
> I don't really have anything to add to that, really.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

### Chapter 2

### 

It should be pointed out that Link has a very dangerous startle response. Likely an unhealthy, albeit necessary, development, from all of the failed attempted assassinations.

Unfortunately, this had caused Link some problems in the past. When startled, his subconscious, his survival instincts, would commandeer his body and overwrite his rational thoughts, until he could determine that there was no imminent threat. There had been several instances where he had been shocked by someone, and his instinctive reaction was to fight, to defend himself from perceived danger. Nayru knows that Rivan had not forgotten the time when Link had almost electrocuted him by mistake. It had become a subject of much gossip in the Domain, and renewed the scrutiny that he'd hoped was behind him.

Fortunately, he had never severely injured anyone in such moments; the worst he'd done was given an older man in Lurelin a nasty elbow strike. Thankfully, he and his wife had been extremely understanding, and accepting of his apology and recognising their own fault. Trauma was not an uncommon ailment in these times, after all. Although, the small fortune of valuable gems Link had donated to them in penance may have helped to soothe any damages to his reputation for goodwill with the rest of the village.

Needless to say, the sudden interruption of his pensive brooding was more than enough to trigger Link's twitch responses.

Link shot upwards, and whirled around to face his potential assailant, drawing his sword and striking in a single fluid, precise motion.

Upon seeing his target with his own eyes, his latent instincts suddenly _wrenched_ his striking arm back, his self-defence overcome and utterly overwritten by the protective impulse that _surged_ from his chest. His blade came to a sudden, and jarring, stop about fifty centimetres from the intangible form of Champion Mipha's spirit.

Link froze, his blade hanging motionless in the air between them. His dominant shoulder cried out under the abuse and torsion it had undergone, yet he did not move, horror-struck by his own actions. What he had done, and what he had _nearly_ done.

Mipha, in response, hadn't even flinched at Link's reaction. She'd watched his sword come closer with an utterly dispassionate stare, and an unflappable poise attributed to her limitless grace. Of course, in her current state, it is not as if he could have wounded her, hurt her in any way. After all, one cannot kill what is already dead.

Or maybe it had been something else; a belief, nay, a _certainty._ That Link, no matter the situation, no matter the circumstances, would never, _never_ act in a way to cause her physical harm. That Link would never break the promise he made to her, all those years ago, when he was still so small...

_''I'll always protect you, Mipha!'' The tiny, adorable Hylian had proclaimed. ''From any of the bad monsters that try to hurt you.'' He had been confident, assured, in the way only the naivety of youth could make someone, yet in that moment, looking into those earnest sapphire eyes, Mipha had believed it. That this incredible, remarkable boy would do **anything** to ensure that vow._

Mipha smiled wistfully at the memory. Then she returned her gaze to that very same boy, now a man.

Link's sword clattered to the ground, where it remained; discarded and abandoned.

The very sight of Mipha, even spoiled by the will-o-the-wisps that surrounded her astral form, had once again served to steal his breath away, and so he stood, dumbstruck, as the object of so much of his pain, and angst, and _love_ stood not a metre before him. Under Mipha's expectant stare, he froze, his mouth stubbornly refused to cooperate, even if only to address her, to apologise, to _beg for forgiveness..._

He dimly wondered how long Mipha had been watching him. Silently anguishing over his ruminating form, until she finally deigned to engage him. She could have been floating behind him, out of sight, for _hours,_ waiting for the right moment to begin, and he would never have known.

Her tone was formal, and _painfully_ neutral, which, although complimented his formal request, caused Link's heart to squeeze in a particularly painful throb, for a reason that he could not consciously understand. 

~~But deep down, he knew: he and Mipha were far, _far_ closer than that. If she was taking such a distant tone, then that meant that she was considerably upset with him.~~

However, her face told a different story. Her brow was quirked upwards, and she looked... almost _amused_ at his frantic reaction. Indulging, and warm, of his silly antics, as she had been before...

When Mipha continued to gaze at him expectantly, Link suddenly realised that he had left her without a response. His tongue hurried to correct this faster than his mind could compensate for.

''I- I would.'' He stuttered, clumsily, dropping his hands to his side in a more neutral position, wincing at the ache in his shoulder.

For a moment, Mipha's face remained unchanged, before it suddenly broke out into a half-smile. She never could remain angry at him for long. A long time ago, it would have been a giggle, a dignified titter of amusement. Now however, with how much had happened, how much they had both endured and suffered... she found that this was the best she was capable of.

Even after all this time, Link's presence was still too painful. So wonderful, so soothing, yet so very painful. The weight of lost opportunities, of things left unsaid, would forever haunt her soul, just as much as his presence was a balm to it. The contradiction left Mipha feeling somewhat exhausted from the effort of trying to rationalise it into something that made even the smallest amount of sense.

The silence between them stretched to an uncomfortable length, before Mipha finally took pity on the stricken man before her, and granted him an entrée.

_''Well then, what is it that you wish to discuss?''_ She enquired.

It was light, humorous and familiar and, for just a moment, it was almost as if she had been transported back to before all of this; just her and him on one of their many nightly treks. The nostalgia was painful in its poignance. How she so dearly regretted all of those wasted opportunities, how she hadn't yet known just how precious that time was, and how little of it they both had left together. If she'd had an inkling of how terribly it would all end up, then perhaps she would have been bolder in taking the initiative with him.

~~No, that was a lie. She had _always_ known. She had even _accepted it._ She just hadn't wanted to _believe._~~

Even if he had been growing more distant, quieter. More burdened by his immense responsibility. Even if she was secretly doubting that his affection for her was of the same type of that she had held for him, fearing the inevitable rejection and heartbreak that he would have been forced to give her.

At least she would have _known._

Even at his most stoic, he had been such a sweet person. She didn't doubt that any hurt he caused her, no matter how unintentional, would have brought him a great deal of pain. She could clearly see it; he would have been so apologetic, so remorseful, and so desperate to make up for the damage to her heart that could never be repaired. She smiled wistfully.

Alternatively, if by some miracle from the goddesses themselves, he _had_ felt the same way, well...

No. It would do her no good now to lament on the possibilities. She had had her chance, and she had wasted it. And now the die had been cast, there was nothing she could do to change it, and no one to blame but herself for her foolish, damnable hesitance.

Link had been somewhat startled by her question. He'd jumped in a way that was simultaneously so familiar, and yet so foreign. Mipha internally despaired at yet another barrier that had been erected between them.

When he'd first liberated dearest Ruta from Ganon's Blight, she hadn't really taken much notice, too relieved in the reprieve she had finally been granted after so, so long suffering and languishing in her failure, to realise why Link had not reacted more... expressively. Perhaps that was foolish and arrogant of her, to place too much importance on herself and her relationship to him.

But then, from the snippets she had gathered since, she had come to learn of his pitiable condition.

Finding out that Link had suffered almost total amnesia, that he barely remembered her, and what they had shared, had felt like a stake had been driven through her chest.

~~An experience she was sickeningly familiar with.~~

Knowing that he looked upon her and saw a stranger, as opposed to the warm, intimate, _loving_ companion who had known him his whole life, had watched him grow up, had guided him, had taught him and learned from him, had exalted with him in his successes and comforted him in his failures...

It had hurt more than _dying._

And to see him now... Almost as if he was a pale imitation of the man he once was, still missing so much that he was so desperately searching for. A simulacrum lacking so many of the traits that she had fallen in love with...

At least, that was what she had feared at first.

Now, however, she knew better. She'd seen enough of him to realise, to _know,_ that behind the amnesia, behind the different mannerisms and unfamiliarity, behind his struggle to find himself, realise himself in a strange and hostile world...

_It was still Link._ Demonstrably, and unequivocally. Still that same reckless boy with his aggrandised sense of justice, his immovable sense of duty, and the martial skill to justify it. Still the same boy whose wounds she had nursed, as she watched him transform from a young prodigy in swordsmanship to the most powerful and proficient warrior in the entire Kingdom; one worthy of the Legends he would have to live up to. One worthy to guard the goddess maiden.

~~One far too worthy for quiet, unassuming, Lady Mipha.~~

Through all he'd experienced, through all he'd endured... it was still him.

~~And, if anything, that made it worse.~~

She dismissed her thoughts with a huff. She had pledged herself to support Link in any way in which she still could, in this woeful semi-existence. Her own regrets would not be of any help now. 

Manifesting herself in such a way was very taxing. Link likely understood this, at least on some subconscious level. Therefore, she inferred that he would not have approached her, have waited so resolutely for her to appear before him, if he had not been contemplating a matter of considerable consequence.

She still owed it to Hyrule to complete her duty; to help Link complete his.

Yet, far more than that, she owed it to _him._

Link shuffled, uncomfortably; he'd maintained an uncharacteristic meekness throughout her meditations.

''I have a question.'' Link murmured, yet Mipha heard him clearly, paying far too much attention to have ever allowed an alternative.

He seemed to be leading into a topic, and Mipha was content to allow him to take his time, build up his confidence, despite no small amount of strain that was needed to maintain her image.

If it was for him, then she would endure, as she always had.

After a long moment of deliberation, Link reached for his pack. He withdrew a bundled package, and turned to face Mipha once again.

''I wanted...'' Link began, paused for a breath, then tried again. ''I wanted to ask you about this.'' He said, presenting the bundle for her inspection.

Mipha recognised it instantly. How could she not? Not when she had spent hundreds of hours pouring over it, ever modifying, always improving, until she had finally, _finally_ deemed it to be perfect, to be worthy of the target of her adoration.

She could still feel the prick of the needle, whenever her finger slipped, as she wove layer after layer of scales into the cuirass, ensuring that it would provide sufficient protection, be of sufficient quality to guarantee his safety under any manner of assault.

She'd meant to give it to him. She had held on to the completed piece for so long, but she had ultimately resolved to present it to him after he and Princess Zelda had descended from Mount Lanayru.

She'd been so worked up; unable to sit still for her anticipation. Revali had, somewhat boorishly, commented on it, and his irritation.

And then, Link had appeared, and her heart had quickened in her chest, her breath had shortened only by his proximity, inching closer to the moment of truth. The moment either her wildest dreams, or worst nightmares, would be realised. She'd been preparing herself to ask...

And then... Ganon returned.

What had happened next didn't bear thinking about.

So, seeing the armour, _his_ Armour, made from her toil, her tears, her _love,_ again after all of these years...

Mipha was simultaneously surprised, and yet, not surprised at all, by the pang of emotion, of love, of grief and of regret, that the mere sight of it dredged up, which she expressed in a muted gasp. That familiar fear of rejection, of denial, but also, inexplicably, of _hope._

Hope, turned ever so bitter by the tragedy and impossibility now surrounding it.

''I... I want to know,'' Link resumed, startling her from her reverie. ''I know you wanted to offer it to me, but...'' He paused, tailing away. Mipha hung onto every word with a desperate, foolish yearning.

''I want to know if you would still offer it to me. If... well... If you could.'' Link finished, meeting her eyes for the first time.

If things had been different, she knew he meant. If you weren't dead.

_What?_

That caught Mipha off guard. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, especially when he'd brought the armour out, but... 

She was certainly not expecting him to ask _that._

Mipha's mind stalled, utterly incapable of giving an answer to a question she had never thought she would be asked. Yet despite her hesitance, Link looked so unwavering, so earnest, in the face of her bafflement.

That damned foolish _hope_ once again soared into Mipha's breast. Surely, if she'd still possessed a physical body, she'd be hyperventilating by now. But, suddenly...

The fleeting fragile hope she'd so desperately not wanted to encourage was brutally crushed by that stark reminder of the grim reality. She'd tried so hard not to feed it, nourish it, lest it take root and sprout into something bigger, and evidently, it appears that she had failed.

And it had hurt all the more for it.

Her cheer and happiness were washed away just as surely as the waters of the river, leaving Mipha dejected, and despondent. Her spirit seemed to wilt, to dim slightly under the weight of her grief, running the risk of fading from sight entirely...

She wrested control back for herself; Link had asked a question, and she would at least do him the honour of addressing it, if not outright answering it. That wound, she feared, was still too raw.

Mustering her resolve, Mipha straightened slightly, shoulders hunched, as she prepared to drive another blade into her heart.

_''...What I would have or have not done... It matters little now.''_ She replied. She tried so, so hard to infuse her response with the conviction she'd need to satisfy him, to dissuade him from pursuing this line of enquiry. She was correct anyhow. It really did matter little, now that she was dead, and he was not.

To her great consternation, Link's brow had furrowed. She implicitly understood what that signified; he was going to press the issue.

Truly, she should have known better than to underestimate his obstinance. It was a trait she had greatly admired him for, after all; his determination to the point of pig-headedness to see his task through.

She'd thought that she'd resigned herself to her heartbreak; made peace with it.

Link's presence here: dredging up old memories, and grief and regrets, was proving rather emphatically that she had not.

''Please, Mipha.'' He replied, and she knew that she was doomed. Her defences withered and crumbled under his imploring gaze.

''I...'' Link hitched a breath. ''I need the closure.'' He conceded.

Mipha gazed at him sadly, as she considered his request. If it would help him, then she would answer, even if the cost of doing so was to admit everything that she had denied, that she had feared, and-

''And I think that you need the closure too.'' Link whispered, interrupting her thoughts.

_Oh._

Mipha's incorporeal chest swelled until she was sure that her heart had burst again.

Surely he understood? It was _her_ purpose to help _him. She_ was supposed to be the one offering support, and yet...

And yet it was right there, plain to see on his face, in his eyes. How his twitching arms wanted to reach out and embrace her, to console her and protect her, only to be stifled by the fact that there was nothing to grab; that he would only be clutching air.

Mipha barked out a hysterical sob. Did he not realise? 

_It was too late for her..._

But... the realisation dawned in her mind, like the relentless advance of a tidal bore:

_He was right._ Gods above damn him, but he was right.

She didn't quite know whether to laugh or cry. Neither seemed appropriate, and yet somehow...

She looked upon him once more, really took in his appearance. From his tousled, wind-swept golden bangs, to the shadows resting under his once sparkling eyes that made him look almost haggard. Her gaze drifted downwards, her eyes running paths over scars she knew he bore, many of which she had healed personally, but many more she was not around to do so, following the planes and lines of his body, as she appraised him from head to toe.

She then considered the differences in the man he was now, and the man he had been then. She could still read him very well, likely better than anyone else he'd met since awakening, such was her attunement to him, his needs, his mannerisms, however...

She had often noted and lamented the subtle differences. It just served enough to throw her off, an uncertainty in her judgement of his state that she'd never had to wrestle with before...

She also considered his misuse of her Grace, and how agonising it had been to watch him torture himself for the express purpose of seeing her, _feeling her,_ again. She had been beyond disgusted then, and still was now. Nonetheless, she knew that she simply loved him too much to ever _resent_ him for doing so. She understood, and empathised, as much as she wished that she did not. If she were to be completely candid with herself, she might even admit that she immensely appreciated being able to return to his side again, even if the admittance would nauseate her with guilt and shame, due to the destructive methods by which he was achieving it.

And yet. In spite of all of that, she still knew. For all of his differences, for all of the quirks he possessed now that he had not before, for all of the things he had lost in his century of slumber...

_It was still Link._ Definitively. And, therefore, her answer was obvious.

_''...Yes.''_ She finally admitted. _''Yes, even now, I still would.''_

Her heart sank at her own admittance, and yet she sighed in relief, as if a crushing weight had been removed from her chest. 

She allowed herself one final flight of fancy, as she considered all that she adored about him, before she would be forced to confront reality.

She wistfully recalled how often she had dreamed, had _fantasised_ about him, about his body: Him drawing her close with those strong, muscular arms, making her feel safer than if she was being protected by the entire Zora military, and professing his love in her ear...

How dearly, how _desperately,_ she had desired him.

Mipha had never been selfish, nor indulgent in the opulence available to her. Always, she had put the needs of her people, the needs of Hyrule itself, before her own. She had conceded many things, in many different contexts, in order to place others' benefits first, as a Princess, as a healer, as a sister, and as a Champion.

Link had been her one exception; the one thing that she had not allowed herself to let go, despite, well, _everything._ The one time she had ever, _ever_ wanted to be selfish and put her own needs, her own desires, before another's.

She had _loved_ him. In mind, body and soul. And she had wanted _nothing, absolutely nothing,_ more than his happiness, and to be the one to provide it for him.

When he'd been assigned to guard Princess Zelda, Mipha, to her utter shame, had been _jealous._ She'd tried to maintain her control over it, to not allow her malcontent to poison her, but still she had felt it, keenly. Jealous of the time Zelda would be spending with him, and fearful that Link may come to prefer Zelda's company to her own.

Mipha was not particularly proud of this side of herself. .

Hearing from him that Zelda couldn't even stand the sight of him was... relieving and infuriating. On the one hand, she was so very grateful, since if Zelda disliked him, then there was no way she could ever be a... a _rival._

On the other, she was quietly furious at her. _How dare she_ not appreciate how wonderful he was, _how dare she_ treat him with such contempt, such ire, that it had almost driven him to _tears_ when he'd confessed to her how much he _hated_ guarding Zelda, silently enduring her puerile, childish and undeserved abuse.

Mipha had been forced to exert all of her notable self control to remain cordial with Princess Zelda (and Revali), when they had maligned Link.

Of course, she was not without great sympathy for Zelda's utterly unenviable position. However, for a time, something primal within her could only look upon the Hylian Princess and see a person that was causing Link undue suffering.

But then... Mipha did not know the details, but something had changed in their relationship. Suddenly, Zelda had transformed from an immature, abrasive child throwing tantrums into an immature, pushy child testing the boundaries of friendship and authority. Link had come to her, _beyond_ relieved at Zelda's change of heart, and Mipha had tried _so desperately_ to be happy for him, in spite of her renewed fear. Fear that had only grown, as Zelda and Link continued to become closer, until she was sincerely doubting her own heart. Doubting that Link would choose her, over Zelda.

It would have been smarter to back down; clearly they were destined for each other, after all. Fated to meet, and play their roles in the coming Calamity, by forces far beyond mortal recognition. She should have let him go, spare herself the inevitable heartbreak and pre-emptively begin to move on.

But she had refused. She'd refused to give up on that tiny spark of hope, that Link would still choose her. She had followed her heart, as she'd asked Link to inform her father...

~~And her heart had only led her to pain and death.~~

She needed this. To confront it, and admit it, to the one she had so adored. Perhaps only then could she finally, finally move on. Besides, Link himself would need to hear it, would need to _know,_ if only so that _he_ could begin to move on and live his life without her by his side, with another in the place she had wanted so dearly to be hers.

Even after one hundred years of being dead, she could not cushion the spike of envy that lanced through her heart at the realisation.

When Link opened his mouth to speak, Mipha closed her eyes, and braced herself for the axe to fall, and permanently sever the bond that she had held on to so fervently.

''Then I accept it, in the manner that it was intended to be given.'' Link said, utterly assertive in his confidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( 
> 
> And here I begin to vicariously present my anti-BotW Zelink propaganda. 
> 
> Jokes aside, I really do feel very strongly against pairing Zelda and Link together in a romantic context in BotW. I will continue to explore this position in future works.
> 
> I'm aware that this might make me quite a few enemies in the fandom, lol. If you do not like this interpretation, then I apologise. Although, I hope that you will at least allow me to present my argument.
> 
> Please feel free to let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. 
> 
> After the last chapter dropped, I wasn't quite expecting to discuss anti-Zelink Crusades in the comments, but I was far from unhappy to do so.
> 
> Anyway, here's the finale for Prelude 4.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

### Chapter 3

### 

That wasn't in the script Mipha had prepared.

She startled so violently at his declaration that her jaw practically hit the floor, so certain that she had misheard him, that he had misspoken, that her foolish heart was still playing tactless tricks on her.

So shocked was Mipha, at Link's proclamation of all she had ever wanted to be true, that true comprehension simply _refused_ to settle in her mind. It _couldn't_ be true, she simply _must_ be mistaken.

Somewhat shakily, she requested clarification. She winced under the monumental effort it took to keep the wavering of her voice to a minimum.

''I accept your proposal.'' Link obliged. ''It would be my honour, and privilege, to marry the woman that I adore above all others.'' Link thought he had done a remarkable job of keeping his own voice even, under the onslaught of love and grief that swirled between them, amplified by each other.

Well then.

There it was. Unclouded by any vagueness, closed to any alternate interpretation: Link _loved_ her.

_Link loved her._

It actually took a moment for what he had admitted to fully sink in.

But when it did...

Emotion _roared_ forwards from her, utterly overwhelming in its intensity from her passion. The love that she had held on to, never forsaken, never abandoned, surged up, then crested and broke with the unrelenting impact of a tsunami. It spread from her heart all the way to the ends of her limbs, and tail, until all she knew was her love, and his approval. Her desperate, domineering yearning had, after all of this time, been _validated._

It was an experience that she couldn't even begin to vocalise. She heaved a choked sob, overjoyed and consumed by the weight of emotion, of feelings that had been verified, and evidently requited beyond even her wildest imaginings. Her love, _their love,_ finally out in the open, reinforcing and reaffirming each other, until it had consumed all other thought from them both.

In an act of instinct, a compulsion fuelled by his confession, Mipha moved towards him; to embrace him, to hold him, to _kiss him,_ as she had wanted to for so long...

_And her arms passed right through his torso._

The mood instantly _shattered._

Mipha hung there for a moment, motionless, before reality caught up with them both once more. She slunk back, crestfallen, before lowering her gaze in morbid mortification, phantom tears filling her eyes.

Just as rapidly as her elation had arose, so too did bitterness rise to displace it. Despite the confirmation of his love, the knowledge that she hadn't pined over a lost cause for more than a century, that she hadn't wasted her life chasing a fruitless endeavour... 

The realisation that it had been, that it _still was,_ mutual made the inescapable realisation that they could not be together, that they _could never_ be together, at least not in life...

Perhaps, when she finally passed on, she would find that something else awaited them. And perhaps, in that something, she and Link could eventually be reunited. 

However, she doubted that that could ever begin to compensate for that which they had missed out on in life.

The despair was enough to make her want to wail; in frustration, in anger, and in grief. To know that they had both wanted this, yet would be unable to have it. That she would never be able to indulge in him, and that he could never do so in her...

To know that they had both wanted to be together, only for fate to tear them apart.

It was too much.

Mipha imagined biting down on her tongue, heedless of the pain actually performing such an action with a Zora's teeth would cause, if only to stifle her sobs, her whimpers.

Even though they had both _wanted_ it, with a desperation bordering on obsessive...

They could never have it. He could never be hers. It was simply impossible.

 _''You're pledging yourself to a dead woman.''_ Mipha gritted out blankly, morosely, utterly overcome by the bitterness the realisation caused her.

Link stepped up to where she had retreated to, and crouched down, so as to look up into her agonised eyes, brimming with an optimism and energy that was a little _too_ forced.

''Well, _you're_ pledging yourself to a _dead man,_ so I'd say that about makes us even.'' He chortled, his facetiousness belying both of their moods.

His quip actually managed the impossible in that it drew a snort from Mipha, undignified and ignoble, yet genuine in its humour. She truly appreciated his attempt at consolation, but no amount of honeyed words or apologies could ever bridge the chasm forever forcing their separation.

Link's fatalistic humour aside, she found that she did not much appreciate his pessimistic evaluation of his odds of survival, and informed him as much.

Link froze, then somewhat abashed, explained that he was referring to his fall, a century ago. Mipha's heart jolted at the casual, offhand way he mentioned his death, and subsequent resurrection. Link's death would forever be a subject she'd rather treat with complete avoidance.

From the looks of things, Link had jolted too, although probably not for the same reasons. He'd almost looked as if he was considering something, before dismissing it as impossible.

Mipha sighed. The circumstances between their demises was simply too different: His corpse had been relatively quickly placed in the Shrine, to heal and be repaired, and she...

~~She didn't have anything of a corpse left. Waterblight had ensured that.~~

She turned her eyes towards his again, and gestured for him to stand; the way he was squatting was likely somewhat uncomfortable on his legs. Although she might no longer possess a physical body, she was still so very conscious of those who did. When he rose to his full height, she looked upon him again. She was forced to look up at him; his height eclipsing her own by a considerable few inches. She was reminded of how much she had been looking forwards to her next growth spurt, if only so that she would be able to gaze down upon him once again, as she had when he was young. She had anticipated just how adorably he'd react when she teased him for outgrowing him.

Just another thing that she never got the chance to do, because of Ganon.

She framed a ghostly hand on either side of his face, constrained by the limits of her projection, and directed her sullen eyes into his own.

 _''All I have ever wanted...''_ she choked out, throat tight from her suppressed sobs, _''Is for you to be happy, to live your best life. I cannot stand the thought of you squandering your chance of happiness for my sake, especially as I am now.''_

Link only looked at her with love, and immeasurable sadness.

''I'm afraid I lost my only chance of happiness one hundred years ago.'' He whispered, and Mipha's heart broke for him.

Link moved his own hands to cover hers, frustrated by the lack of tactile feedback, but still did not shy away. He attempted to rub circles into her hands, which Mipha, of course, could not feel, although she appreciated the sentiment more than he could ever know.

''I will _never_ love another the way I love you.'' Link declared, softly. ''I _could_ never.''

Mipha hitched another broken sob at the tremors in his arms, the flutters of his chest, as he frantically struggled to maintain some semblance of composure in front of her.

Mipha watched on helpless as he struggled so very valiantly, until his faked equanimity shattered, and he fell, tumbling, into his own wretched sobs.

She couldn't touch him; draw him into a soothing embrace as she so desperately desired. All she could do was stand, and wait, and pray that her presence would be enough.

'' _Please_ don't leave me.'' Link whimpered, with an atypical timidness. Hearing his tone, his words, his desperate plea, Mipha already knew that she would do _anything in her power_ to oblige him.

But she also knew that she'd already pledged that once, and even the limits of her power were not enough to fulfill it. She couldn't maintain this appearance forever. Frankly, she was amazed she had maintained it for as long as she had.

Link _must_ know this.

Abruptly, Mipha realised Link's true meaning; he wasn't only referring to tonight, he was referring to _after._ After he had defeated Ganon, after he had rescued Zelda, after...

He didn't want her to move on. He wanted her to wait for him.

And, well... Mipha knew.

She had already waited a century for him. What was one more?

 _''Do you remember the promise I made you atop Ruta, Link?''_ She asked, gently.

Of course he did. That was what he had _first_ remembered about her, after all. When he had first realised how much she had meant to him, when he had first realised just how much he had lost to the Calamity. He sniffed out a sob, and nodded.

Pleased, Mipha continued.

 _''I promised that I would **always** heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound.''_ She briefly thought back to that cherished memory. How close she had come to offering the Armour to him right then and there. She hadn't, of course. Her hesitance had held her back. She had been so naively optimistic about their chances, that they would defeat Ganon, avert the Calamity and then, they would be able to spend some time together, as she had requested.

 _''That promise will **never** change.''_ She declared, for the goddesses to hear, to judge, and Link sighed in what she could only describe as downright solace.

''I'll stop killing myself.'' Link blurted out, and Mipha was taken aback by his lack of tact. ''I promise. I'm so, so sorry. I know it hurts you to see me do that, and I'm so sorry but I just _missed you so much..._ ''

Mipha soothed him, hushing into his hair. _''I know, I know, my love.''_ and, by Nayru, was it liberating to address him as such. _''Besides,''_ Mipha choked, _''I missed you as well.''_

Link perked up in absolute disbelief.

 _''Although,''_ Mipha chided, lifting a hand to forestall him. _''I will request that you stop abusing my Grace so frequently, and in such... **damaging** manners.''_ She conceded. It was perhaps too much to think that he would just _stop,_ as much as she desired that no more harm should ever befall him, especially from his own hand. Was it healthy? Was it normal? Heavens no, they both knew that. But then, there was nothing particularly _normal_ about either of them, or their circumstances.

She didn't want to be enabling his damaging tendencies, but she recognised that the alternative would be far, far worse. Calamitous, even.

_''You cannot understand how abjectly devastating it is to witness you hurt, mutilated by anything else. It is considerably worse when I know that it was done by your own hand.''_

If there was one mercy in this world, it was that Link had not had to see, to know, what Waterblight had done to her. That he had not had to see her in such a ruined state. It was knowledge that she would forever keep from him. Unfortunately, she'd known that if he was to ever make use of her gift to him, it was not a blessing that she could be granted. She had accepted that; accepted that she would see him wounded, dying, even if the sight of it killed her all over again, if only so that she could heal him.

How very perplexing it was to consider that she had given him a most wondrous, precious gift, that, if she could have had her way, he would never have needed to use.

 _''But I also understand your need for comfort, for support.''_ And did she ever. Especially now, with it framed with the context of their tragic love.

 _''As we both know, I have no way of stopping you.''_ Mipha continued, _''And so, I feel as if I must compel you to compromise with me.''_

Link looked into her eyes, blinked away tears and nodded fiercely.

Mipha smiled. _''Firstly,''_ she counted on a webbed finger, _''You **will** stop abusing my Grace so frequently.''_ She gave him a stern glare to punctuate her demand. He complied easily and readily.

 _''Secondly, you will only activate my Grace yourself in such a manner which does not cause you undue, prolonged, suffering, and which does not cause to yourself severe bodily harm.''_ That was perhaps the most she could ever get him to promise. She decided to leave the definitions of 'frequently', 'prolonged suffering' and 'severe bodily harm' to him; not only was she unwilling to explore in detail all of the many ways he could hurt himself, but also she placed in him an implicit trust to understand those boundaries for himself.

 _''And finally,''_ she added on, somewhat as an afterthought, _''You will never, **never** compromise your safety, nor your duty, by abusing my Grace.''_ Given how duty bound he had always been, she didn't anticipate that this particular condition would take much effort to agree to, but perhaps a quick reminder of the task he still had yet to fulfill would not be remiss.

Link instantly agreed with everything she had mentioned, beyond relieved that she had not been more opposed to him, as she had every right to be. Truly, her compassion, her empathy, knew no bounds. Never had there been a more graceful, sympathetic and forbearing soul to ever tread these lands. Never had there been a more unfitting fate for one so kind hearted. The injustice, the unfairness raged at his soul like a feral, imprisoned beast. He _longed_ for the day that he would set it loose on Ganon itself. His vengeance would be slow, terrible, and _absolutely agonising_ for what Ganon had done. He swore it, holding on to his blazing hatred so tightly that it began to scorch his very soul.

Mipha had noticed his mood regressing, and commandeered his attention once more. Her presence soothed away his ire, quenched the flames of his fire with a cool, flowing, refreshing stream of water. Her voice was an analgesic to the wounds on his soul, just as much as her Grace was to the wounds on his body. Unfortunately, unlike her Grace, her words alone would never be able to repair those wounds, only exacerbate them.

''I love you.'' He whispered, lost in her pools of molten gold, and in those words, he embedded all of the inordinate amount of love he held for her, relieved and freed by his ability to finally say it.

 _''And I love you.''_ Mipha replied, staring into Link's eyes in return, losing herself in the unfathomable depths of Link's azure gaze. With her admittance, his eyes had flashed, and Mipha had been granted a glimpse of the joyful boy he had once been. It warmed Mipha's breast to witness the echo of a much happier time.

Mipha had finally reached the end of her stamina; her spirit was fading, and she knew that this time, it would be beyond her to maintain. She stared at him with the familiar grief of leaving, but this time, it was tinged with the joy of what they had confessed, and promised to each other. Link realised she had to go, and was almost overcome by a childish impulse to beg her to stay. Instead, he acknowledged her inevitable departure, and instead decided to make the most of the fleeting seconds he had left.

He gazed at her imploringly, and asked for her hand. He didn't even need to use words. Mipha quirked her brow at him, but indulged him warmly. He smiled and covered it with his own. He then slowly, gently, brought it to his mouth. Naturally, he couldn't drag it himself, but Mipha had been touched enough to follow along with his display without protest, spellbound by his actions.

Link placed a chaste kiss to the image of the back of her hand. Honestly, he felt somewhat silly doing so, but, in that moment, he wouldn't even have cared what anyone else would have thought. This moment was between him, and the woman he loved.

Mipha's spirit had mostly faded now, almost entirely transparent, Vah Ruta's legs starkly visible behind her. Link knew that their time was at its end. Instead of crying or begging, he chose to grant her his most brilliant, loving smile; an expression of all he felt towards her. Even then, he couldn't quite manage to keep the tears from pricking at the corners of his eyes. However, for once in his life since awakening, they were not _only_ tears of sorrow.

The last thing Mipha saw of him was that dazzling, wonderful, _heartbroken_ smile.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Link found himself in Zora's Domain.

He trekked the familiar route to the central plaza, the one with Mipha's Statue; he was looking for someone, and this was the most likely location they would be.

Sure enough, Prince Sidon stood at the base of the Statue, forlornly gazing upwards at his astray sister. He was talking to himself; he had a tendency to monologue at night. One that Link hardly begrudged him for.

Link walked straight up to his brother, and attempted to gather all of the enormous Prince in his comparatively tiny arms.

Sidon had been startled to see him, and more startled when Link embraced him without even a word. However, his own arms quickly found their way around Link, his confusion at the uncharacteristically emotive action notwithstanding. Although, Sidon would concede that Link had started becoming more openly affectionate in recent times; a stark contrast to his initial reserved demeanour...

''Ah, I suppose you were trying to eavesdrop on me again?'' Sidon prompted humorously, quite unsure how else to address the sudden, yet welcome, intrusion.

''And commit treason?'' Link faux-gasped. ''My Prince, I would _never!_ '' He mocked, scandalised.

Sidon chuffed a laugh. He was rather beginning to enjoy their little running joke, even if the councillors had been less receptive to what was _clearly_ meant in jest. If Sidon did not know just how unpopular Link was, or, at least, _had been,_ with the older generation, then Sidon would have thought that they were deliberately missing the point.

Sidon cleared his throat. ''Well... uh. Is there any particular reason that you have committed such a grave assault on Zora Royalty?''

He would be joking, if not for the fact that Sidon did not normally do well with being constricted; a remnant from a silly endeavour many decades back.

Link's voice was strangely muted: ''...I just really needed a hug.''

Oh. Well in that case... 

Sidon would happily oblige. He already found his discomfort easing.

They both stood like that for a rather long time, before eventually retiring to their beds.

Link never told Sidon what had prompted his vulnerable display, and Sidon had the good grace not to ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew.
> 
> Well, there you have it.
> 
> All four (currently written) Preludes up.
> 
> Unfortunately, I have a bit of sad news.
> 
> My upload schedule is going to slow down drastically, as I have run out of material ready to upload. I still have a fair few words of _A Promise Kept_ written, however they all need extensive editing to bring them up to standard. Even then, with my University term starting up again, I will have less time to write and upload these works as I would like to be able to. However, I'd say that the currently uploaded ~80k words isn't too bad to keep people occupied? I hope?
> 
> Needless to say, I think you all deserved a warning as to why uploads are going to become more sporadic.
> 
> But, I'll always be down for discussions in the comments, so please feel free to let me know what you think.
> 
> See you soon with Chapter 4 of _A Promise Kept_.


End file.
